Semiconductor manufacturing using disposable test circuitry within scribe lanes

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed for semiconductor manufacturing using disposable test circuitry formed within scribe lanes. The manufacturing steps can include forming device circuitry within a semiconductor die and forming test circuitry within a scribe lane. One or more electrical connection route lines are also formed that connect the device circuitry and test circuitry blocks. Further, each die can be connected to a single test circuitry block, or multiple dice can share common test circuitry blocks. After testing, the electrical connection route line(s) are sealed, and the test circuitry is discarded when the device dice are singulated. For certain embodiments, the edge of the devices dice are encapsulated with a protective metal layer, and certain other embodiments include protective sealrings through which the connection route lines pass to enter the dice from the test circuitry blocks within the scribe lanes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An integrated circuit die, comprising:
 device circuitry formed within the die; 
 an interconnect region formed over the device circuitry and including a plurality of metal layers, the interconnect region extending to an edge of the die; 
 a protective structure formed on the edge of the die, the protective structure comprising a protective metal layer formed on the edge of the die; 
 at least one connection route line coupled to the device circuitry and terminating proximate a portion of the protective structure, wherein a connection route line of the at least one connection route line is located in a metal layer of the plurality of metal layers below a top metal layer of the plurality of metal layers, wherein the protective metal layer is located on the edge of the die at a location corresponding the metal layer; and 
 an etched recess extending from the edge of the die to the connection route line to keep the protective metal layer from electrically connecting to the connection route line. 
 
     
     
       2. The integrated circuit die of  claim 1 , further comprising a dielectric layer formed between the protective metal layer and the edge of the die. 
     
     
       3. The integrated circuit die of  claim 1 , wherein the protective structure comprises a sealring structure formed on the edge of the die. 
     
     
       4. The integrated circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the sealring structure includes at least one gap through which the at least one electrical connection route line passes, the gap being an unformed section of the sealring structure. 
     
     
       5. The integrated circuit of  claim 3 , wherein each sealring structure includes at least one open section through which the at least one electrical connection route line passes, the open section including at least one unformed metal layer within a section of the sealring structure.